In Her Own Words: TMC Community Capital’s Hanna Leen sees both sides of mentorship

As our communities reopen, women across America see their lives becoming more complicated as they juggle responsibilities at home and at work (which is often still at home), caring for coworkers, customers and family. Hanna Leen’s mentor introduced her to her career.

"Three years ago, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and left the familiarity of my small rural town of 5,000. To help finance my pursuit, a Masters in Business Administration, I applied for a Financial Women of San Francisco Scholarship. Little did I know this was one of the best decisions I could have made and opened me up to the benefits of mentorship. With the scholarship comes a match to a mentor. I had never known a businesswoman personally, yet, with my mentor’s introduction, high-powered executive women happily accepted coffee dates to share advice. One of those introductions eventually lead me to meet Barbara Morrison, Founder and CEO of TMC Community Capital and my current boss.

I had wanted to get involved in microlending as a strategy to build wealth for underserved communities. When I was first introduced to Ms. Morrison, she had been toying with the idea of launching a new microlending fintech. It would be her third lending organization. While it was only in the idea phase, our meeting laid the foundation for two years down when our paths crossed again and she hired me to help launch TMC Community Capital.

I am passionate about giving back and providing mentorship to the younger generation. I now serve on the Financial Women of San Francisco Scholarship Committee and have the privilege of meeting women with bright futures. Additionally, I had the opportunity to hire and manage interns. Both of these have provided the opportunity for me to be a mentor.

These uncertain times have added stress in all areas of our lives. Now more than ever, we need the opportunity to grab coffee and share words of encouragement with each other. Except that for so many, getting together in person is off limits.

To make up for these limitations, I have implemented virtual time specifically for this. I have implemented a virtual meeting called Watercooler Wednesday, where I meet with five women that work for me. Each week, there is a prompt and we learn more about each other and from each other.

I believe that mentorship is a two-way street. Both parties can benefit. Another virtual event I orchestrated to promote mentorship was a Knowledge Swap between our Board of Directors and our interns. Our interns shared the latest tips to leverage social media and Board Members shared career advice. It was beautiful to see the exchange. The interns left feeling encouraged and it was meaningful for the Board Members. Even in current circumstances, don’t give up on mentorship."